Material handling system for mines



May 28, 1935. E. c. MORGAN 2,003,007

MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM FOR MINES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 [N VEN To R Edmund C. Marga/'7 Deceasec/ o/fve Eugen/e Marga/7 fiecufr/x /l T T 'Y T HHI IH HHH May 28, 1935. E. c. MORGAN MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM FOR MINES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1927 4 sh t -sh et 2 VEN TOR Edmund C Morgan O/fve Eugen/e Morgan Deceased May 28, 1935. E. c. MORGAN 2,003,007

MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM FOR MINES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 t 7 .0 O o. J

I I o a 98 l 0 /a2 a /03\ I 99 o /00 0 m2 q o o o 0 o I ma m! 7 9 m2 /0/ /N VE/Y TO R 5 Edmund C'Morqan Deceased T q O/ive Eugen/e Morgan flea/#13 ATT'Y May 28, 1935. E. c. MORGAN 2,003,007

MATERIAL HANDLING SYSTEM FOR MINES Original Filed Dec. 9, 1927 4 s t -s t 4 VENTOR Edmund CT Marga/7 Deceased Olive Bye/vie Marga/7 Exec-u fr/x ATTY Patented Ma ra ices f 12.00am

PATEN OFFICE,

mmmr. HANDLING snares! roa muss ldmlnd 0. Morgan, d

, late of New York,

N. 1., by Olive Eugenie Morgan, executrix, New York. N. 1., aasignor to American Morgan Company, a oorporation Delaware application February 1'1, 1m, Serial No. 819,588. Divided and application December 9,

1927, Serial No. 238,877.

A8811! divided and this application June 1,1933. Serial No. 673,868

24 Claims. .(Cl. 105-1) 3 This application is a division of a co-pending application Ser. No. 238,877, died Dec. 9, 1927, which in turn is a division of co-pending application Serial No. 619,588 originally filed Febru-v No. 1,944,993, granted January 30, 1934, and Serial N0. 619.588 is now Patent No. 1,678,821, granted July 31, 1928.

The present invention relates to an improved mine car construction, and has for one of its objects the provision of mine cars particularly adapted for use in connection with extensible conveyor and loading mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means on mine cars adapted'to receive and retain blocks of coal transferred up-grade to such mine cars.

Afurther object of the invention is the provision of means for/flexibly connecting a train of these improved mine cars with flexible connecting means, tting the cars to be hauled over the track system of the mine, either empty or loaded, in a most efllcient and satisfactory manner.

A further object of the invention is the provisionof means on mine cars for blocking'the ends thereof when the cars are hauled up or down grade, thus preventing the coal from slippins- Still another object of the invention is the provision of meanson mine cars whereby the trough of each car in a train will be relieved of all pulling strain.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means on mine cars whereby the troughs of a train of such cars may pivot in both directions relatively of their respective trucks so as to facilitate the hauling of the train around curves or onto and oil from switch tracks.

A still further object of the invention is the 1 provision of a non-fouling pivotal connection between the trough of a mine car and the trucks thereof.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the mine car.

Fig. 4 illustratesone of the ends of the mine car train shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 5 is an elevational viewv of mechanism adapted to be added to the sides of the mine cars shown in Figs. 1' to 3 to hold the blocks of coal in place.

Fig. 6 is an end view of mechanism shown in Fig. 5, with the addition of mechanism for releasing the devices which hold the blocks of coal in place.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a loading apparatus with which the mine cars may be used.

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 7 on line 8-8 of Fig. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional elevation of one of the mine cars, with belts both above and below the blocks of coal. p i

Fig. 10 is a view taken on the line l0--l0 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and especially first to- Fig. 1, a truck frame 5 is mounted on wheels 6, which are adapted to travel on rails 'l of a mine track. ,The truck frame 5 is provided with longitudinal passage ways or recesses 8 to receive the coupling bars 9 and it, respectively, pivoted at their inner ends at II and I2 to the central portion of the truck frame 5. As shown in Fig. 2, the truck frame 5 may be made comparatively heavy so as to enable the wheels 6 to have sufllcient traction on-the rails to stay on the track. The truck frame 5 may be pivoted at l3 and H to the axles l5 and it, re-

spectively. Springs may also be provided as.

shown at H and ill in Fig. 2.

Extending upwardly from the lateral central portion of the truck frame 5 are vertical side plates l9 and 20, at the upper ends of which are located longitudinal guides 2i and 22. Between the central portion of one truck frame and the central portion of the next adjacent truck frame is connected a trough having spaced apart side walls 23 and 24, the ends. of which are provided with vertical strips 25 and 26 which extend upwardly into the guides 2i and 22, as shown in Fig. 3.

The bottom 21 of the trough is extended from the central portion of one truck frame 5 to the central portion of the next adjacent truck frame. The bottom 21 of the trough having the walls 23 and 24, has its ends pivoted at 28 and 29 to the truck frame 5. While the coupling bars 8 and iii are pivoted at their ends to the same bolts that the ends of the bottom 21 are pivoted, it should be noted that the pulling strain between the trucks is taken by the coupling bars 9 and I, because the ends of the coupling bars fit closely on the pivot bolts I l and I2, while the ends of the bottom 21 have a loose'flt, as shown in Fig. 1. This enables the trough to have an endwise movement relatively to the truck frame 5, thereby relieving the trough from pulling strain between the trucks.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the ends of the bottom 21 of the trough having the walls 23 and 24 are provided with edges 39, 39' and 32, 32', which extend angularly from the pivots 29 and 29 toward the ends of the truck that are adjacent each other. The adjacent ends of the bottoms of the troughs are therefore provided with angular faces between them so that the train of troughs may pivot in both directions relatively to the trucks. This arrangement enables the train of wheel mounted troughs to move around curves in the mine track. For instance, if the train is hauled by a locomotive onto an angular switchtrack the ends shown at 39 and 3| in Fig. 3 are free to approach the ends 32 and 33 respectively, while the guides 2|, 22 at the sides of the truck frame cooperate with the pivots 29, 29, 34 and 35 to hold the troughs in the desired relation to the truck frames. Meanwhile the blocks of coal are carried in continuous series extending along the train of trough sections. If desired the ends of the bottoms of the troughs may be beveled at their edges 39, 39, 32, 32 so as to facilitate the movement of the troughs by scraping up from the floor of the truck frame any small particles of coal which may have become lodged thereon.

The train of flexibly-connected tr0ughs, as above stated, may be hauled along the mine track by a locomotive or some other means suitable for the purpose. The flexible connections on the upright axes between the train units readily permit the cars to pass around curves or onto and off from switch tracks. Furthermore, if there are any irregularities on the tracks, tending to cause the train units to sway sldewise, the sides of the trough will bend to permit this. The troughs are made preferably of sufficiently thin plates of steel so as to be strong enough to handle the coal and at the same time have suflicient flexibility to permit lateral swaying of the cars without undue strain on the trucks and the connections thereto. In Fig. 4 is illustrated the form of the troughs at the ends of the train. The end troughs 36 are merely shorter in length but are otherwise constructed and arranged as above described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. The train of .troughs may be open at its ends, but where the train is transported up grade in the mine, removable vertical end gates 31 should be provided. These may be added by sliding them .down along the vertical guideways 38 and 39. In order to hold the short troughs 36 in fixed relation to the frame 49, set screws 4| and 42 are mounted in position in the sides of the frame 49, to be engaged by the vertical angle iron strips 43 and 44 which are secured to the sides of the end trough 36.

As previously mentioned, the mine cars are particularly adapted for use in connecton with extensible conveyor and loading mechanism, and thisuse is illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, but more fully set forth in the Morgan Patent 1,678,821, July 31, 1928.

The extensible conveyor and loading mechanism illustrated in Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive, has been selected from one of the forms of such mechanism originally shown in the above-identifled patent. This extensible conveyor and loadat right angles to the path of the mining machine.

The dislodged column of coal is broken up into blocks and directed onto the conveyor and loading mechanism by which it is transported to the train of flexibly connected mine cars and deposited. within the troughs for transportation over the track system of the mine.

Referring now in detail to the extensible conveyor and loading mechanism illustrated in Figs. '7 to 10 inclusive, part 62 is a flexible traveling belt for the reception of dislodged blocks of coal A. This belt62 is adapted to lie on and slide along the mine floor and carry the blocks of coal into the curved chute 63 so as to impinge against the vertical arcuate wall 64 thereof, as shown in Fig. 7. The belt 62 is preferably composed of steel, and is thin, flexible, hard and durable.

The belt 62 extends rearwardly to the winding mechanism 65, which may be operated whenever desired to convey some of the blocks of dislodged coal into the loading apparatus.

The adjacent sectional columns of coal B have 19. This base plate may be suitably anchored by y roof jacks l9 and 19. During the operation of The purpose 5' the mining machine the ropes are paid out but at,

such time the winding mechanism 69 is not operated except to maintain the ropes 66 taut. In this respect the operation of the winding mechanism 69 is similar to that of the winding mechanism 65, in keeping the ropes and belt conveyor taut and keeping the blocks of coal in alinement in readiness to be loaded into the train of mine cars, after the mining operation has been completed.

From the chute 63 the blocks of coal are delivered upon a belt I3, which in turn is paid out from a winding mechanism 14. Attached to the free end of the belt I3 is a cross piece 15 to which 1 a hook is adapted to be connected as at 16,.the hook in turn being connected to the free end of arope TI. The rope I1 is directed around pulleys 18 and 19 to the winding mechanism mounted on the base plate Ill. The direction pulleys I9 and 19 are pivoted on a frame 92, which may be held in fixed position by means of a roof jack 92. when the blocks of coal have been loaded upon-the mine cars by the belt .13, the belt is retracted from under the blocks by the winding mechanism I4 after the hook on the free end of the rope I1 is detached from the cross piece 15.

When the operations are being carried on so that the blocks of coal will have to be moved upwardly along a steep grade, additions will have to be made as follows: From the frame 93 extends a belt or rope 94 to a winding mechanism 95 99 along the inner surface of the opposite arcuate wall of the chute. When the blocks of coal are being loaded the winding devices 95 and 99 are operated simultaneously with the devices 05 and 49 to move the coal around the curved chute and up grade onto the belt 18 and into the train of troughs above described.

- when the coal is being moved up-grade it is also desirable to add a belt 89 and extend the same from the winding mechanism 90 over the top of the coal so as to cooperate with the belt I9 below the coal and thus move the latter upgrade into the train on which the coal is to be loaded. For this purpose the frame 82 is provided with two pairs of pulleys. The pulleys I8 and I9 are located in position to direct the rope 11, whereas the pulleys 9I and 9| are in position to direct the rope 92. Both of the ropes 'II and 92 are operated by the winding mechanism 80 and these ropes are connected, respectively, at I6 and 93 to the belts I3 and 89. When the winding mechanism 80 is operated, the belts I3 and 89 are pulled forwardly simultaneously while being paid out by their respective winding devices I4 and 90. I v

In order to hold the coal more effectively in the train of troughs after the belts I3 and 89 have been uncoupled from their respective ropes II and 92 and retracted from the train by their respective winding mechanisms I4 and 90, longitudinal lateral pressure devices shown at 94 and v95 may be employed. By referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 'I it will be seen that these pressure devices may be in the form of plates 94 and 95 extending almost to the center of the truck, or the longitudinal center line thereof, and also extending almost the full length of one of the trough units. These plates 94 and 95 may be connected to angles including the vertical strips or bars 96 and 91, on both sides of the train, see Figs. 5 and 6, which are adapted to slide vertically along the guides 98 and 99. The upper ends of vertical bars 96 and 91 are rigidly secured to the friction plate 94 on one side of the train and the bars 96 and 91 on the opposite side of the train are secured tothe plate 95. The lower ends of the bars 96 and 91 are connected at 96 and 91 to a leaf spring I00, which is mounted in turn on the knee plate IOI so as to exert a downward pull on the friction plate 94. The same arrangement is provided for the plate 95 on the opposite side.

The ends of the plates 94 and 95 are curved upwardly so that the coal may be moved under the plates with the upward lifting action against the downward pressure exerted by the leaf springs I00 on opposite sides of the train. The tension of the leaf springs may be adjusted by raising or lowering the knee plates IOI which support the springs on opposite sides of the troughs; To raise or.lower these plates ml, the nuts IOI' are removed from the bolt ends and the bolts then inserted through upper or lower sets of the openings IOI='. Adjustable stops are. shown at I02 and I03 to limit the downward movement or lower the position of the'plates 94 and 95. By means of the adjustable stops I02 and I08, the plates 94-and 95 may be adjusted to a higher initial position than the position shown in Fig. 5. In this manner the initial height of the friction plates 94 and 95 may be adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the blocks of coal. The adjustments of the stops I02 and I03 are made by providing a series of vertically spaced openings I02 and I03 in the trough sides and with the stops secured by bolts I 02 and I09 engaging in selective ones of said openings. The bolts may be transferred into different ones of the openings so as to raise orlower the stops as desired.

, As shown'in-I 'ig. 6, manually operated releasing devices" I04 and I05 may be provided at the sides of the trucks in position to engage the.

laterally extending flanges I00 and MI to lift thefriction plates 94 and 95 off the blocks of coal 'in the train of troughs when it is desired to unload the coal from the train. These releasing devices I04 and I05 comprise manually operated crank handles I04 and I05 which rotate the curved lifting arms I04 and I05 against the under side of the flanges m and m and on the shafts I04*- and I05 and the arms I04 I and I05 are mounted on these shafts.

The mechanism of the manually operated releasing devices may be supported upon they end of standards I04 and I05 which in turn may be conveniently mounted from the trough sides .or on the truck frame.

The use of worm gearing in the manually operated releasing devices I04 and I05 enables these devices to hold the plates 94 and 95 elevated above the coal without the aid of other holding means since the worm will not rotate in a reverse direction in response to the tension of the spring I00. The cranks therefore will have to be rotated in reverse to lower the plates.

These retaining devices I04 and I05 also serve the purpose of relieving the adjustable stops I02 and I03 of the tension of the spring I00 so that the stops may be easily transferred from one of the openings I02 and I 03' to another.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the claims hereto appended and it is desired therefore not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of the invention what is desired to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, flexibly coupled truck frames forminga train, a trough between the truck frames, intowhich trough is adapted to receive material loaded upon the train, and spring-pressed friction devices cooperating with the trough and adapted to bear upon the top of the material in the trough for facilitating the holding of the material in the trough.

2. In apparatus of the class described, flexibly coupledtruck frames forming a train, a trough between the truck frames having its respective ends pivoted to the said frames,and friction devices mounted on the trough in position to hold material therein.

3. In apparatus of the class described, flexiblycoupled truck frames, a. trough between the truck frames which trough is adapted to the loading of material thereinto, and spring-pressed friction devices cooperating with the trough and adapted to bear upon the top of the material in the trough for facilitating the holding of the material in the trough.

4. A trough train comprising a truck frame, side plates extending upwardly from the sides of said truck frame and carried thereby, trough sections pivotally connected at their adjacent ends to said truck frame, and means at the upper ends of said side plates for affording guideways for the end portions of the side walls of said trough sections.

5. A trough train comprising a truck having a platform with an upper horizontal surface, trough sections having horizontal bottoms with V-shaped ends, spaced-apart pivotal connections located at the apices of the said v-shaped ends to flexibly connect said trough sections with the central portion of said platform with the edges of saidvshaped ends of said bottoms at the upper horizontal surfaces'of said platform, vertical spacedapart plates at the sides of said platform, and means on said plates affording guideways between the same and the ends of the side walls of said trough sections.

6. A trough train comprising flexibly connected truck frames, trough sections pivotally connected at their ends to said frames, vertical spaced apart side frames on the truck frames, and arcuate guides on the side frames concentric with the pivots between the trough sections and the truck frames, said arcuate guides being located betweenthe ends of the side walls of adjacent trough sections and said side frames.

7. A trough train comprising a plurality of flexibly coupled truck frames, a continuous trough comprising a plurality of sections each flexibly connected at its ends to said truck frames, longitudinally disposed friction devices for engaging the upper surfaces of the material in the trough to retain it in carrying position, and springs located at the sides of the trough for urging downwardly the said friction devices against the upper surfaces of such material.

8. A mine car comprising vertical side members between which material is adapted to be loaded upon the car, spaced apart longitudinal friction devices mounted on said side members in position to permit the material to slide under said friction devices and in contact with the under surfaces thereof, and spring pressed means mounted on the said side members for urging downwardly against the material said friction devices after such material has been slid under the same.

9. The combination with a mine car having vertical side members, friction means for holding the material upon the car, mechanism for lifting said friction means relative to the bottom of the car to permit said material to slide along such bottom to a position under said friction means, and spring operated mechanism for urging downwardly said friction devices on top of said material when said lifting means is released.

10. The combination with a mine car having side members between which the material is adapted to be placed, spring pressed friction devices for holding the material upon the car, and manually operated releasing means for lifting said friction devices for passage of such material beneath the same, said spring pressed friction devices acting automatically to engage the top of said material when in place under the same and after said manually operated means has been restored to initial position.

11. A trough train comprising a truck frame, trough sections pivotally connected at their ends to said frame, vertical plates secured rigidly to the sides of said frame with the ends of the side walls of said trough sections overlapping the inner walls of said side plates, and means for guiding the upper comers of the side walls of said trough sections along the upper ends of said side plates.

12. A trough train'com'prising a truck frame, an end trough section secured to said frame and having spaced apart side walls adjacent to the sides of said frame, a transverse abutment connecting said side walls, vertical plates at the sides of said frame, and means between said side plates and said side walls for preventing movement of said trough section relative to said truck frame.

- 13. A trough train comprising a plurality of trucks connected by drawbarspivotally connected at their ends to said trucks, trough sections pivotally connected at their ends to said trucks, the trough sections being closed at the bottom between side walls equally spaced from each other throughout their lengths to afford a sectional trough of uniform dimensions for free and unobstructed movement of material therealong, and means on each truck for connecting the adjacent ends of the side walls of the trough sections to maintain a continuity of the side walls of the trough and equi-lateral spacing thereof for a free and unobstructed communication between each trough section and the next adjacent trough section while the top of the trough remains open throughout its length.

14. A trough train comprising a plurality of trucks coupled together in a train, a plurality of trough sections each open at the top and having a closed bottom between side walls equally spaced from end to end of the section, each trough sec tion being flexibly connected at its ends to said trucks, and means on the trucks for connecting the ends of the side walls of the trough sections walls on one section being in alinement with those on the next adjacent sections and the bottom of one trough section being in alinement with the bottoms of the next adjacent trough sections, and means on each truck for connecting the adjacent ends of said side walls to maintain the continuity of the side walls of the trough and to provide a continuous trough having substantially the same cross-sectional area from end to end of the train to adapt the same to receive material at one end of the train for free and unobstructed transfer along the bottom of said trough between the uniformly spaced side walls to the other end of the train.

16. A trough train comprising flexibly coupled spaced-apart truck frames, trough sections pivotally connected at their ends to the central portions of said truck frames, the adjacent ends of the bottoms of said troughs at the upper surfaces of the truck frame being V-shaped, each section being open at its top and having a closed bottom between side walls equally spaced from end to end of the section, and means between the adjacent ends of the side walls of the trough sections for alining said side walls and maintaining the continuity thereof to co-act with such side walls to form a continuous trough of uniform dimen- 17. A trough train comprising a plurality of wheeled trucks adapted to travel on a mine track, couplings between said trucks, a series of trough sections each flexibly connected at its ends to said trucks and each being open at its top and having a closed bottom between side walls equally spaced from end to end of the section with the side walls of one section in alinement with the side walls of the next adjacent sections but spaced therefrom, and means at the sides of the trucks between the spaced ends of the side walls of said trough sections for establishing continuity of such side walls during movement of the train on curves of a mine track as well as the straight portions thereof to afford a continuous trough from one end of the train to the other along the free and unobstructed space having uniform cross-sectional area throughout the length of the train.

18. A trough train having a continuous trough open at its top and closed at its bottom between side walls spaced equally from end to end of the train to afford a free and unobstructed space having substantially the same cross-sectional area throughout the length of the train, comprising a plurality of trucks, a plurality of trough sections pivotally connected to said trucks, and means carried by the trucks flexibly connected to the adjacent ends of the side walls of the trough sections to maintain alinement thereof and the continuity of such trough when the train travels along curves of a mine track.

19. A trough train having a continuous closed bottom and an open top between side walls equally spaced from end to end, comprising a series of flexibly connected trucks, a series of trough sections each pivotally connected at its ends to said trucks, means on each truck at the sides thereof to form connecting walls having a lateral spacing equal to the spacing between the side walls of the adjacent sections and associated with the ends of the side walls of the trough sections, and means for guiding the adjacent ends of the side walls of the adjacent trough sections toward or from each other when the train travels around curves of a mine track.

20. A trough train comprising a mine car truck a frame, a pair of trough sections pivotally connected at their ends to the'central portion of said frame, each trough section having side walls equally spaced from end to end of the section and mounted in alinement with the side walls of the next adjacent section, the adjacent ends of the bottoms of the trough sections being substantially V-shaped with the pivot points at the apices of the ends, vertical closure members mounted on the truck frame to have a lateral spacing equal to that of the spacing between the side walls ofthe adjacent sections, and means for guiding: the adjacent ends of the side walls of the adjacent trough sections alongsaid vertical closure members during movement of the train along curves of a mine track.

21. A trough train comprising a plurality of flexibly coupled truck frames, a plurality oftrough sections each pivotally connected at itsends 'to said truck frames, each trough section having an open top and a closed bottom between side walls equally spaced from end to end of the section and in alinement with the side walls of the next. adjacent section, means on the truck frames and stationary relative thereto between the ends of the side walls of said adjacent trough sections to connect said side walls in the formation of a continuous trough having a closed bottom and an open top with the cross-sectional area of the space for movement of the material substantially the same throughout the length of the train, and means for guiding the ends of the side wallssof said trough sections to maintain continuity of alinement of said side walls when the trough train travels along curves in a mine track.

22. A trough train comprising a truck frame adapted to receive coupling bars for connecting the truck frame to adjacent truck frames to form a train, coupling bars pivoted to the said truck frames, and a continuous material receiving trough having a closed bottom and alined side walls, the trough train being open at its top and with its material receiving portion uniform in cross-sectional area from end to end, said trough comprising sections pivotally connected at their ends to the truck frames on the axes of the pivots of the coupling bars.

23. A trough train comprising a truck frame adapted to receive coupling bars for connecting the truck frame to adjacent truck frames to form a train, pivot means on the frame, coupling bars mounted on the pivot means, a continuous material receiving trough having a closed bottom and alined side walls, the trough train being open at its top and with its material receiving portion uniform in cross-sectional area from end to end, said trough comprising sections each movable relatively to said truck frame, and means at the ends of the trough sections to permit the aforesaid pivot means to also serve to pivot the ends of said sections to said truck frame, the said coupling bars taking the pulling strain between the truck frames.

24. A trough train comprising a wheeled truck adapted to travel on a mine track, spaced-apart pivotal connections between the truck and oppositely extending coupling bars, oppositely extending trough sections having open tops and closed bottoms connecting spaced-apart side walls with the transverse distance between the walls the same throughout the lengths of both sections to afford a trough train having its material receiving portion uniform in cross-sectional side walls of one section with those of the other with consequent continuity of communication between trough sections when the latter move laterally on their pivots relatively to the truck.

' OLIVE EUGENIE MORGAN. Executrix, Estate of Edmund (J. M organ, Deceased. 

